Sweden's Olympic Hockey Team Faces Uphill Battle After Loss to Finland

Mika Zibanejad and Gabriel Landeskog point to goaltending and special teams issues as barriers to bouncing back

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Sweden's men's hockey team was one of the favorites to win gold at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, but their 4-1 loss to Finland has put their chances in jeopardy. New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad and Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog highlighted the team's struggles with goaltending, special teams, and lack of sustained offensive pressure as major issues that need to be addressed if they want to make an unbelievable run to the gold medal match.

Why it matters

Sweden has not won Olympic gold in men's hockey since 2006, and this year's team was expected to end that drought. Their loss to Finland now puts them in a precarious position, needing to win out in their group to have a chance at the gold medal match against Canada.

The details

Zibanejad noted that Sweden's team was too stretched out on the ice, making it difficult to generate sustained offensive pressure. Their power play was also a major issue, converting on just 1 of 6 opportunities. Landeskog added that the team seemed "sleepy" in the first period, falling behind early to Finland. Sweden currently ranks 8th in the Olympics in shots on goal percentage at just 6.32%, a far cry from their expectations given the talent on the roster.

  • Sweden lost to Finland 4-1 on February 13, 2026.

The players

Mika Zibanejad

A center for the New York Rangers and veteran of the Swedish national team.

Gabriel Landeskog

The captain of the Colorado Avalanche and a veteran of the Swedish national team.

Sam Hallam

The head coach of the Swedish men's hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“I think at times maybe we're stretched out a little bit too much. We try to play five close. I think everyone tries to, but when we get stretched out like that, it's hard to get a forecheck going. It's hard to kind of get any sustained pressure. So just a little bit closer and a little more speed, especially when teams back off.”

— Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers center (NHL.com)

“Yeah, I think there's another level there, for sure. I thought tonight we're a little bit sleepy in the first period and they were not, and then thought we got better as the game went on. I'm not overly concerned about where we finish. I want to make sure that we play well as a team and find a way to win a hockey game tomorrow, and then we'll see where we end up.”

— Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche captain (Instagram)

What’s next

Sweden will need to win their remaining group stage games to have a chance at advancing to the gold medal match against Canada.

The takeaway

Sweden's loss to Finland exposed significant issues with their goaltending, special teams, and overall team cohesion that they will need to quickly address if they want to have any hope of ending their 20-year Olympic gold medal drought in men's hockey.